17 permits · verified 2026-10-07
What permits do you need to open a childcare centre in Dupage County?
In short
A childcare centre in Dupage County, IL has 4 permits that apply to every business of this type, plus 13 more that depend on your premises, signage or how you are set up. Illinois Secretary of State, Department of Business Services charges $150 one-time filing for the articles of organization (llc). 12 of the 17 are charged as a range or formula rather than a flat fee. Verified 2026-10-07 against the issuing agencies’ published fee schedules.
Permits particular to a childcare centre in Dupage County
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual Food Service Establishment / Retail Food Store Permit | DuPage County Health Department | $305–$1,092 per establishment per year, by risk category: Risk Category 1 $1,092, Risk Category 2 $684, Risk Category 3 $305; seasonal establishment (six months or less) $305; 25% penalty if not paid by the expiration date | one year from issuance (County Code Secs. 18-108 and 18-204) | 2026-10-07 |
| Food Service Plan Reviewonly if it applies to you | DuPage County Health Department | $273–$1,092 per project: Type I plan review $273, Type II $684, Type III $1,092; plan review consultation $283; priority review (three business days) $1,092 in addition to the applicable fee; resubmittal fee $344 at the third and later resubmittals | one-time, per construction, remodel or conversion project | 2026-10-07 |
| Public Swimming Facility Annual Licenseonly if it applies to you | DuPage County Health Department | $343–$645 per pool, spa, water slide, aquatic feature or bathing beach per year: seasonal operation $343, year-round operation $645; 25% penalty if not paid by the expiration date | annual; the Health Department's pool page gives the 2026 permit year as May 15, 2026 to May 14, 2027 | 2026-10-07 |
| Day Care Centre License | Illinois Department of Early Childhood | No fee | 3 years | 2026-09-03 |
Fees shown as a range or formula are set that way by the issuing agency — we do not average them into a single number.
Local permits that apply to every type of business in Dupage County
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Private Sewage Disposal System Permitonly if it applies to you | DuPage County Health Department | Varies — formula on the Dupage County page | per system installation or repair; the surface discharge operating permit is annual | 2026-10-07 |
| Certificate of Use and Occupancyonly if it applies to you | DuPage County Building & Zoning Department | Varies — formula on the Dupage County page | per certificate | 2026-10-07 |
| County Highway Access / Right-of-Way Permitonly if it applies to you | DuPage County Division of Transportation | Varies — formula on the Dupage County page | per project; extensions in 6-month increments | 2026-10-07 |
| Building Site Evaluation (Health Review on Well/Septic Lots)only if it applies to you | DuPage County Health Department | Varies — formula on the Dupage County page | per building permit application | 2026-10-07 |
| Water Well Permit / Non-Community Water System Operating Permitonly if it applies to you | DuPage County Health Department | Varies — formula on the Dupage County page | per well; the non-community water system operating permit is annual | 2026-10-07 |
| Commercial Building Permit (with Plumbing and Electrical)only if it applies to you | DuPage County Building & Zoning Department | Varies — formula on the Dupage County page | per project | 2026-10-07 |
| Sign Permitonly if it applies to you | DuPage County Building & Zoning Department | Varies — formula on the Dupage County page | per sign | 2026-10-07 |
| Zoning Board of Appeals – Variation, Conditional Use and Rezoningonly if it applies to you | DuPage County Building & Zoning Department | Varies — formula on the Dupage County page | per petition | 2026-10-07 |
Fees shown as a range or formula are set that way by the issuing agency — we do not average them into a single number.
IL registrations that apply to every type of business
| Permit | Issuing agency | Fee | Renews | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Articles of Organization (LLC)only if it applies to you | Illinois Secretary of State, Department of Business Services | $150 one-time filing | no expiry, but an annual report is due every year | 2026-09-03 |
| Articles of Incorporationonly if it applies to you | Illinois Secretary of State, Department of Business Services | $175 one-time — $150 filing fee plus $25 minimum initial franchise tax | no expiry, but an annual report and franchise tax are due every year | 2026-09-03 |
| Annual Reportonly if it applies to you | Illinois Secretary of State, Department of Business Services | Varies — formula on the IL page | annual — an LLC files before the first day of its anniversary month | 2026-09-03 |
| Certificate of Registration (Form REG-1) | Illinois Department of Revenue, Central Registration Division | No fee | continuous — no renewal | 2026-09-03 |
| General Business License — Illinois position (city, not state) | Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity | No fee | set by the issuing municipality | 2026-09-03 |
Fees shown as a range or formula are set that way by the issuing agency — we do not average them into a single number.
How much does it actually cost to permit a childcare centre in Dupage County?
There is no single figure, and any site quoting one is rounding away the part that matters. Of the 17 records listed for a childcare centre in Dupage County, IL, 4 apply to every business of this type and 13 are conditional. Adding every fee on the page together would overstate what most operators pay, because it would include permits they never need.
12 of the 17 are charged as a range or a formula set by the issuing agency, and 3 have no fee published at all. The ones particular to this business that vary:
Annual Food Service Establishment / Retail Food Store Permit: $305–$1,092 per establishment per year, by risk category: Risk Category 1 $1,092, Risk Category 2 $684, Risk Category 3 $305; seasonal establishment (six months or less) $305; 25% penalty if not paid by the expiration date
Food Service Plan Review: $273–$1,092 per project: Type I plan review $273, Type II $684, Type III $1,092; plan review consultation $283; priority review (three business days) $1,092 in addition to the applicable fee; resubmittal fee $344 at the third and later resubmittals
Public Swimming Facility Annual License: $343–$645 per pool, spa, water slide, aquatic feature or bathing beach per year: seasonal operation $343, year-round operation $645; 25% penalty if not paid by the expiration date
The other 9 variable fees belong to permits that apply to every type of business here; their formulas are set out on the Dupage County permits page and the IL state page.
Which offices issue these permits in Dupage County?
Permits for a childcare centre in Dupage County, IL come from 7 separate offices: DuPage County Health Department, DuPage County Building & Zoning Department, DuPage County Division of Transportation, Illinois Secretary of State, Department of Business Services, Illinois Department of Revenue, Central Registration Division, Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, Illinois Department of Early Childhood. No single office issues them all, which is why an opening means filing in several places rather than one.
- DuPage County Health DepartmentIssues 6 permits on this page, including Annual Food Service Establishment / Retail Food Store Permit, Private Sewage Disposal System Permit, Building Site Evaluation (Health Review on Well/Septic Lots)111 N. County Farm Road, Wheaton, IL 60187 · 630-682-7400www.dupagehealth.org/212/Fees
- DuPage County Building & Zoning DepartmentIssues 4 permits on this page: Certificate of Use and Occupancy, Commercial Building Permit (with Plumbing and Electrical), Sign Permit, Zoning Board of Appeals – Variation, Conditional Use and Rezoningaca-prod.accela.com/DUPAGE/Default.aspx
- DuPage County Division of TransportationIssues 1 permit on this page: County Highway Access / Right-of-Way Permitlibrary.municode.com/il/dupage_county/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=CH19HI_ARTIIRI-WPEFE
- Illinois Secretary of State, Department of Business ServicesIssues 3 permits on this page: Articles of Organization (LLC), Articles of Incorporation, Annual Report501 South Second Street, Room 351, Springfield, IL 62756 · (217) 524-8008www.ilsos.gov/departments/business_services
- Illinois Department of Revenue, Central Registration DivisionIssues 1 permit on this page: Certificate of Registration (Form REG-1)Central Registration Division, Illinois Department of Revenue, PO Box 19030, Springfield, IL 62794-9030 · (217) 785-3707mytax.illinois.gov
- Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic OpportunityIssues 1 permit on this page: General Business License — Illinois position (city, not state)(800) 252-2923dceo.illinois.gov/smallbizassistance/beginhere/stepbystepguide.html
- Illinois Department of Early ChildhoodIssues 1 permit on this page: Day Care Centre License(217) 785-9160idec.illinois.gov/forproviders/licensure.html
What does a childcare centre need in Dupage County that other businesses do not?
1 of the 4 permits particular to a childcare centre here applies to no other business type we cover in Dupage County: Day Care Centre License.
Day Care Centre License
Genuinely free, and the rule says so in terms — there shall be no fee or charge for the license — for a day care centre, a day care home and a group day care home alike, each valid for three years. Get the agency right: child care licensing moved from the Department of Children and Family Services to the new Department of Early Childhood on 1 July 2026, and almost every guide still names DCFS. The license is not transferable and is valid only for the name and address printed on it, so a move or a sale means a new one.
Shared with other businesses in Dupage County
- Annual Food Service Establishment / Retail Food Store Permit — DuPage County Health Department, $305–$1,092 per establishment per year, by risk category: Risk Category 1 $1,092, Risk Category 2 $684, Risk Category 3 $305; seasonal establishment (six months or less) $305; 25% penalty if not paid by the expiration date, one year from issuance (County Code Secs. 18-108 and 18-204). Also required for restaurants, coffee shops and retail stores; what it involves is set out on the restaurants page.
- Food Service Plan Review — DuPage County Health Department, $273–$1,092 per project: Type I plan review $273, Type II $684, Type III $1,092; plan review consultation $283; priority review (three business days) $1,092 in addition to the applicable fee; resubmittal fee $344 at the third and later resubmittals, one-time, per construction, remodel or conversion project. Also required for restaurants, coffee shops and retail stores; what it involves is set out on the coffee shops page.
- Public Swimming Facility Annual License — DuPage County Health Department, $343–$645 per pool, spa, water slide, aquatic feature or bathing beach per year: seasonal operation $343, year-round operation $645; 25% penalty if not paid by the expiration date, annual; the Health Department's pool page gives the 2026 permit year as May 15, 2026 to May 14, 2027. Also required for fitness studios; what it involves is set out on the fitness studios page.
The other 8 local permits in the tables apply to every type of business in Dupage County, IL; what each one involves is set out on the Dupage County permits page. The 5 state-level registrations apply to every type of business across IL and are covered on the IL state page.
How does a childcare centre compare with other businesses in Dupage County?
The closest match is a fitness studio, which shares 1 of these permits. A childcare centre also needs Annual Food Service Establishment / Retail Food Store Permit, Food Service Plan Review and Day Care Centre License. A fitness studio needs nothing here that a childcare centre does not.
| Business | Its own permits | Shared with a childcare centre | Only a childcare centre needs | Only it needs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fitness studios | 1 | 1 | 3 | 0 |
| Retail stores | 6 | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| Coffee shops | 10 | 2 | 2 | 8 |
| Restaurants | 10 | 2 | 2 | 8 |
| Auto repair shops | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| Contractors and trades | 3 | 0 | 4 | 3 |
| Food trucks | 8 | 0 | 4 | 8 |
| Salons and barbers | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 |
| Veterinary clinics | 2 | 0 | 4 | 2 |
Sources
Every figure for the permits explained on this page was read from one of these government pages on the date shown. Sources for the permits shared with other businesses are listed with their explanations on the restaurants page, coffee shops page and fitness studios page. Sources for the permits that apply to every type of business are listed on the Dupage County permits page and the IL state page. Confirmed by Editorial Team.
- 89 Illinois Administrative Code part 407 — licensing standards for day care centers, including the license term and the absence of a feeIllinois Department of Children and Family Services · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-03
- Illinois Department of Early Childhood — child care licensure, and the transfer of licensing from DCFS on 1 July 2026Illinois Department of Early Childhood · primary source · retrieved 2026-09-03
Related
Commercial Compliance Hub publishes information, not legal advice. Requirements change — confirm anything you rely on with the issuing agency before you file.